Defence firms await decisions on whether Britain needs a plane to patrol its waters four years after scrapping Nimrod

Four years after Britain scrapped the Nimrod maritime surveillance aircraft, the issue of whether an island nation needs a plane to patrol its waters remains.

The Ministry of Defence cancelled the Nimrod’s replacement as part 2010’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), citing the need to cut costs. But the decision meant Britain lost a crucial ability to monitor the threat from foreign submarines in its territory.

There have even been unconfirmed stories of Russian vessels mooring and sending sailors ashore to enjoy local hospitality – all without being tracked by the UK military, the security implications of which are clear.

Taking flight: One possible option is the P8 Poseidon, used in the hunt for the missing Malaysian airliner

Some aspects of the Nimrod’s function have continued, using surface ships, the RAF’s E3D Sentry aircraft and helicopters.

But much of what the Nimrod was good at has been lost – particularly the ability to detect small objects on the sea’s surface, such as submarine periscopes.

‘That Britain has since 2010 had no suitable maritime patrol aircraft capability is a national disgrace,’ says independent defence analyst Howard Wheeldon. As a minimum, Britain needs to be able to monitor what goes on within the UK search and rescue area – no small task given it covers 2m square miles of sea.

A typical mission for these aircraft lasts eight hours before refuelling is required.

But now the gap left by Nimrod could soon be filled, if rumblings from within Whitehall and industry are to be believed.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has privately given ‘top priority’ to the project, indicating he wants to commit as part of the 2015 SDSR.

Analysts estimate that plugging this gap will cost around £2bn. Once funding is assigned, it could go into the MoD budget cycle for 2016 with an aircraft in service by the end of the decade.

The MoD is keen to emphasise that the first question is just what is required. Only then can the machine and sensors that will provide the surveillance be considered. One idea is some form of multi-mission aircraft that can be used for maritime patrol, intelligence gathering, airborne command and control and even in some transport capacity.

The current favourite appears to be the P8 Poseidon made by US aerospace giant Boeing – effectively a militarised 737 passenger jet. Instead of seats, the P8 would be packed with sensors and equipment used to track submarines or missing surface ships.

British crewmen are already flying on the P8 aircraft to maintain their skills.

Hammond has also visited a P8 squadron in America and is said to have been impressed.

Other ideas include packing the fuselage of Lockheed Martin’s rugged C-130 Hercules transport aircraft with high-tech sensors and turning it into a maritime patrol specialist.

Such a plane is already used by the US Coast Guard.

Airbus is pitching its C295 aircraft, a version of which is used by the Chilean navy for anti- submarine warfare. And rival L-3 is offering a package based on Bombardier’s Q400 aircraft.

Northrop Grumman, another US defence firm, would like to see its drones used to monitor the ocean from high up and then send specialised aircraft in to check on possible discoveries closer to the surface.

Most of the possible options will be on display at next week’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

Just how many aircraft will eventually be needed is another moot point. Former Nimrod crewmen reckon the minimum is 12, given some aircraft will inevitably be in maintenance, some used for training and others deployed overseas at any one time.

But senior industry executives believe the MoD’s decision is also about the continued viability of Britain’s defence industry.

Buying off the shelf might be see as ‘cheaper’, but if the domestic capability to design and manufacture military equipment is lost it will leave the nation’s security at the mercy of foreign powers.